California Republicans want to “rebrand” themselves as fiscal conservatives and social libertarians (“California GOP’s hope – evolution of a new brand,” Jan. 16). Are they joking? Isn’t that what they’ve been claiming for decades?

In California, until we had a Democratic governor and legislative supermajorities, our finances were a mess. Now we have fiscal responsibility. Obama spent our way out of the 2008 financial debacle, caused by policies initiated under a Republican Congress. President Reagan and the Bushes accumulated more debt than all previous presidents combined. Democratic presidents have reduced our irresponsible deficit spending and debt, not Republicans.

For 35 years, I have listened to Republican politicians at all levels of government attack gay people, blame us for every possible social ill, and call us threats to “real” American values, repeatedly lying and demonizing us and our families in political campaigns simply to win elections. Incredibly, they did this while simultaneously claiming they were freedom- and morality-loving libertarians. Now that they’re losing, they’re suddenly seeing the light? Please. I’m not stupid.

I haven’t voted for any Republican since Milton Marks. I never wanted to be a single-issue voter, but the Republican “brand” has insisted. They have a long way to go before they can convince me otherwise.

]]>By: Mervhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2014/01/19/61988/comment-page-1#comment-332874
Mon, 20 Jan 2014 03:31:04 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=61988#comment-332874Some coalitions are inherently incompatible and therefore unstable. The Democratic was splitting apart by the 1960s because they tried to maintain a coalition that included liberal blacks and Southern racists. The Republican party cannot survive long including both gay conservatives and anti-gay Christians. Since there are more Christians than there are gay people, Republicans will not make any real effort to include gay people unless the Christians have already left for some other reason.
]]>By: Gene in L.A.http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2014/01/19/61988/comment-page-1#comment-332826
Mon, 20 Jan 2014 00:44:33 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=61988#comment-332826Given the still-homophobic stance of the majority of the GOP, I can neither understand gay people who join them, nor find it likely to vote for one of them against a Democratic incumbent. Whatever local benefit might accrue from having a gay Congress member would be more than offset by the GOP’s resulting maintenance of its majority in the House. Given the current state of politics, I couldn’t do it.
]]>By: Lord_Byronhttp://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2014/01/19/61988/comment-page-1#comment-332801
Sun, 19 Jan 2014 23:00:06 +0000http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/?p=61988#comment-332801Interesting article from the Herald, but there are certain parts I disagree with.

“Still, Tisei says the GOP must do more to change the perception that “we’re the party that wants to deny people their rights and interfere with their personal lives.”

It’s not just LGBT individuals they need to do this to. They appear to many woman to want to control their personal lives as well. Then you have minority groups that feel the GOP is only for rich business owners.

In particular, he says Republicans need gay members in their ranks to help shift their mindset on key policies. “It would be a lot harder to take positions that discriminate against people when you have (gay) people in the room you work with on a daily basis that you like and know,” Tisei says.”

There are plenty of members of the GOP that claim that they have gay friends and family members who still vote for anti-gay laws. If you are voting anti-gay even when you have gay family members I doubt knowing a gay congressman would change your position.

“With long ties to the business community, Innis is expected to have strong financial backing in an election he says will be decided on fiscal issues.”

It may be the cynic in me, but I doubt people are going to fall for that argument anymore. Every time the GOP is elected on the idea of jobs,jobs,jobs and fiascal issues they always, i repeat always, go after social issues. Here in wisconsin walker ran on jobs and we got anti-union legislation along with voter id. Oh yes, plus everyone got a 13 dollar cut in their property tax. The only issue now is where they are going to make that money up.